Method and apparatus for gapping slide fastener chain



' w. F. VAN AMBURG 3,541,665

' Nov. 24,- 1970 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAPPING SLIDE FASTENER CHAIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19, 1968 INVENTOR. [0/1 (MM F V4/V/IM6MQG MgM ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 24, 1970 w. F. VAN AMBURG 3,541,666

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAPPING SLIDE FASTENER CHAIN Filed July 19, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill/1111111. H /0 f 7 3y as IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

US. Cl. 29408 20 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus and method for clean gapping a length of continuous filamentary slide fastener chain wherein successive interengaging elements are interconnected by heel portions, each secured to the carrying tape by stitching passing about the filamentary material at a point intermediate the elements and the heel portions. The interengaging elements at opposite ends of the length of the free gap are first severed, after which each stitch passing about the filamentary material extending the length of the space to be gapped is cut. A punch member is then actuated which engages the interengaged elements located in the space to be gapped, and removes these elements as well as the now out stitching that previously secured the filamentary material to its carrying tape.

given The present invention relates to slide fasteners and, more particularly to the removal of a group of slide fastener elements from selected areas along a continuous length of slide fastener stringer chain of the continuous filament type to provide intermittent gaps thereof free of elements.

Coupling elements for slide fasteners are manufactured from a continuous length of filamentary material deformed to include a plurality of spaced-apart substantially U-shaped coupling elements located in alignment with each other along a given axis, with successive coupling elements interconnected by successive heel portions. Each heel portion interconnects a leg of one coupling element to a leg of the next adjacent coupling element so as to provide convenient means for winding a unitary stringer from a single elongated filament and for anchoring the slide fastener stringer to a carrying tape. Generally, two different configurations can be wound from a single strand of filamentary material. The first is Wound to a substantially helical configuration and the other is wound such that successive heel portions are alternately placed on opposite sides of the interengaging elements whereby the heel portions are located in staggered relationship relative to each other.

Generally, in manufacturing a slide fastener incorporating either of these types of stringers, the stringer is first positioned along one edge of an elongated tape. Next, the stringer is secured to the tape by sewn threads or stitching with the spaced coupling elements protruding from the edge thereof and the heel portions lying exposed along the marginal edge of the tape. In stitching the filamentary structure to the tape, the looper stitching overlies the filamentary material on one side of the tape and the thread for the needle stitching passes through the tape and about the filamentary material on the other side of the tape. The coupling elements of a pair of stringers are interengaged to form slide fastener chain which can be stored in a convenient form such as rolls. When orders are received, the chain is passed through gapping apparatus Where the filamentary material, including the interengaging elements and the heel portions, as well as the sewn threads, are completely removed at predetermined intervals and for given lengths.

United States Patent 3,541,666 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 The prior art for gapping and cleaning filamentary type slide fastener chain generally employs a process and apparatus similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. 2,877,844, I. E. Burbank, Mar. 17, 1959. A knife edge first severs each loop of the filamentary material in a uniform manner, after which a pressure pad or the like strips each loop of cut filamentary material from the threads securing the same to the tape. Other methods and mechanisms have been employed for clean gapping filamentary type slide fastener chain, but in each instance it has been necessary to first sever the filamentary material. It is to an improved apparatus for clean gapping slide fastener chain, and to the method of manufacturing gapped and cleaned chain that this invention is directed.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for gapping and cleaning fastener elements from slide fastener chain in a single operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of gapping and cleaning ladder type slide fastener chain for a given length along the edge of both stringers of the slide fastener chain.

Still another object of this invention is to clean the filamentary material from a filamentary type of slide fastener chain without tearing or severing the tape that carries the filamentary material.

A further object of this invention is to provide slide fastener chain of the continuous filament type which has been gapped and cleaned for a given length, with each endmost coupling element of each gapped length severed in a uniform configuration.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention can be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front plan View of a ladder type filamentary slide fastener chain;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the slide fastener chain shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus for clean gapping the slide fastener chain;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of one part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5-7 are cross sectional views of the mechanism of FIGS. 3 and 4, illustrating the operation thereof; and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a slide fastener chain of the helically wound configuration which can also be clean gapped with the apparatus shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a fragment of slide fastener chain of the ladder type, which is particularly adaptable for clean gapping according to the apparatus and method of this invention. Ladder type fastener chain is one in which continuous filament 10 is deformed so as to have a plurality of uniformly spaced U-shaped inter-engaging fastener elements 12 having adjacent elements thereof inter-connected by U-shaped heel portions 14 and 16, which heel portions are placed on alternate sides of the carrying tapes 18. The continuous filament as deformed is commonly referred to as a ladder type stringer, and this stringer, in turn, is sewn to the edge of tape 18 and secured thereto by stitching 20 which passes about each leg member 22 and 24 of the filament located intermediate fastener elements 12 and heel portions 14 and 16, respectively. As shown, in FIGS. 1 and 2 the filament stringer is secured to the tape in a manner such that the stitching 20 formed by the thread has a looper stitch 26 and a needle stitch '28. In FIG. 2, illustrating the needle stitch 28, the thread passes about leg member 24 of filament 10, whereas in the looper stitch 26 the thread is looped about itself to form a raised stitching on leg member 22.

In FIG. 8, there is shown a second embodiment of a filament type slide fastener in which filament is deformed into a substantially helical coil. Adjacent fastener elements 32 are again interconnected by heel portions 34, but each heel portion is placed at an angle relative to the longitudinally extending edge 36 of tape 18 as heel portions 34 interconnect alternate legs 38 of adjacent U- shaped fastener elements 32. Again, the thread stitching securing individual stringers of filament 10 carrying tapes 18 form a looper stitch 40 and a needle stitch 42, except that needle stitch 42 lies substantially fiat against the surface of carrying tapes 18. Looper stitch 40 is formed from a single thread looped to provide a plurality of threads which lie side-by-side upon the filamentary material and are raised above the surface thereof.

In each of these embodiments wherein a continuous filament 10, deformed to a given configuration, is attached to a carrying tape 18, it should be noted that the thread stitching securing the filament to the tape passes about the filament on at least one side and is exposed above the surface of the filament.

The apparatus for clean gapping filamentary type slide fasteners described hereinabove, is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A stationary die member 50, having an elongated opening 52 therein and a plurality of cutting edges 54 located substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of opening 52, is positioned under a presser member 56 and a punch member 58 movable reciprocally within opening 60 of member 56. Stationary die 58 includes a recessed guideway 62 at each end for the purpose of accommodating and guiding the filamentary material of a length of continuous slide fastener chain, as is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, across opening 52. Opening 52 in stationary die member 50 has vertical grooves '66 and 68 at its opposite ends which are offset from each other so that fastener elements can be positioned on die member 50 relative to opening 52. Grooves 66 and 68 are positioned in die member 50 such that when fastener chain is properly located in guideway 62 and punch 58 is actuated by a drive means (not shown) to move into opening 52, punch 58 will sever the filamentary material at the opposite ends of the space to be gapped in a uniform manner whereby the fastener can be further modified in accordance with later operations not herein disclosed.

As shown in FIG. 4, opening 60 in presser member 56 is substantially identical to opening 52 in stationary die member 50 and overlies the same. On the lower surface of presser member 56 and at each of the ends of opening 60, there is located a cutting edge 72 extending in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of opening 60 from the edge of opening 60 to the outer edge of presser member 56. Presser member 56 cooperates with the stationary die member 50 and is reciprocally movable a short distance relative thereto.

Punch member 58 has substantially identical downwardly depending male cutting members 72 at its opposite ends adapted to be moved relatively in opening 60 of presser member 56 and into grooves 6'6 and 68 of stationary die member 50. Cutting members 72 act to sever a group of fastener elements at the opposite ends of the length of the space to be clean gapped from continuous chain in a uniform manner, which operation will be more fully described hereinbelow. An elongated dull punch 74 is spaced intermediate cutting members 72 and at opposite ends of the space to be gapped above the lower cutting surfaces 76 of cutting members 72 so that when punch member 58 is moved into openings 60 and 52 in presser member 56 and stationary die member 50, cutting members 72 will first act on a group of fastener elements after which dull punch member 74 will act on fastener elements 12. Apparatus for actuating punch member 58 and presser member 56 relative to stationary die member 50 is not shown, but it will be understood that each of these members can be readily mounted upon well known punch press machines.

The operation of the apparatus and method for performing the clean gapping operation will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 5 through 7. In FIG. 5 a continuous filament chain 64 of the ladder type is positioned upon stationary die member 50 in a manner such that the inner-engaged fastener elements 12 carried by tapes 18 are centrally located over opening 52 in stationary die member 50 with the needle stitching 28 positioned over and in contact with cutting edges 54 of stationary die member 50. Accordingly, looper stitching 26 is positioned directly under the marginal surfaces adjacent opening 60 of presser member 56, which stitching projects above the surface of filament 10 of fastener elements 70. As shown in FIG. 6, presser member 56 is moved downwardly and contacts looper stitching 26 forcing the slide fastener chain 64 onto cutting edges 54 of stationary die member 50. The filamentary material 10 is thus used as an anvil for the purpose of driving needle stitch 28 onto cutting edges 54 so as to sever the thread of needle stitch 28, where needle stitch 28 passes about filamentary material 10.

Punch mmeber 58, as best shown in FIG. 7, continues to move downwardly and engages the filamentary material forming fastener elements 12 and because the fastener elements are interengaged will force the filamentary material including fastener elements 12 and heel portions 14 and 16 ahead of it into opening 52 of stationary die 59 and eject the same from the bottom. Simultaneously with the movement of punch member 58 into engagement with the filamentary material to move the same into opening 52 of stationary die 50, looper stitches 26 which pass about the upper leg of the fastener filamentary material 10, move therewith and now withdraw the newly severed thread which formerly formed needle stitch 28. Thus, the filamentary material as well as stitching 20, that formerly secured the same to carrying tapes 18, are both removed fromcarrying tapes 18 and are now ejected out of the bottom of opening 52 in stationary die 50. It should be particularly noted that looper stitches 26 should be considered as one unitary mass which must follow the action of filamentary material 10 as it is ejected and since needle stitches 28 are now severed, filamentary material 10 and stitching 20 will be removed as a single unit.

Similarly, with reference to the filamentary slide fastener shown in FIG. 8, the fastener chain can be positioned on stationary die 50 in a manner such that looper stitches 40 are placed over cutting edges 54 and needle stitches 42 are placed directly under presser member 56. In this embodiment it has been found that every other looper stitch 40 need be severed upon cutting edges 54 for the continuous filamentary material to be clean gapped for a given length. The filamentary material and stitching will be ejected, as a unitary mass, with needle stitches 42 now being withdrawn from carrying tapes 18. Looper stitching 40 on every other leg of the filament forms an entangled mass which will withdraw the needle stitching 42. However, those alternate looper stitches 40, which are now severed, are able to unravel themselves so as to pass through tape 18, across the upper surface of tape 18 and down through the tape so as to be withdrawn thereby with the previously described looper stitching 40'. A carrying tape 18 is flexible and the movement of dull punch therethrough will not damage any portion of the carrying tape, particularly, the closely spaced abutting edges 36 thereof.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be eifected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of manufacturing a fastener clement free gap of a given length from continuous filament slide fastener chain which includes a pair of interengaged filamentary stringers, each stringer having a plurality of fastener elements with adjacent elements thereof interconnected by heel portions overlying the surface of said tape to which it is secured by stitching passing about the filamentary material of each of said fastener elements at a point located intermediate said elements and said heel portion, which comprises the steps of:

severing at least one of said fastener elements of each of said filamentary stringers at the opposite ends of the length of the free gap to be produced to separate those fastener elements intermediate thereof, which are to be gapped, from said continuous filament;

cutting at least every other stitch where it passes about said filamentary material of each of said heel portions along the length of the free gap to be produced to separate each of said fastener elements from its stitching and carrying tape; and

moving a punch member in a direction substantially transverse to said interengaged elements to be removed and from a direction opposite to that side of the tape on which said stitching has been severed whereby said punch member engages said interengaged elements and acts thereon to displace said interengaged elements and the cut stitching away from said tape to clean gap said fastener chain.

2. The method of manufacturing a fastener element free gap in a [filament fastener chain according to claim 1, wherein there is performed the step of progressively advancing said fastener a distance which is amultiple of the length of the space to be gapped whereby the space to be gapped can be performed by successive uniform steps.

3. The method of manufacturing a fastener element free gap in a filament fastener chain according to claim \1 in which prior to the step of severing there is performed the step of positioning said interengaged elements relative to said punch member.

4. The method of manufacturing a fastener element free gap in a filament fastener chain according to claim 1, wherein the step of cutting includes the step of moving a presser member in a transverse direction to force each of said stitches on the underside of said tape which secures said filament to said tape unto one or more of a plurality of cutting surfaces to sever said stitches and free said filament.

5. The method of manufacturing a fastener element free gap in a filament fastener chain according to claim 4, wherein the step of moving a punch member includes the step of engaging said interengaged filament fastener elements for withdrawing said elements and each of the stitches formerly securing said elements to said tape from said continuous chain to clean gap the same.

6. A method of manufacturing a fastener element free gap in a continuous slide fastener chain having its cooperating elements interengaged and including a pair of tapes lying in a common plane and carrying along their respective adjacent longitudinal edges a filament formed to include a plurality of fastener elements projecting outwardly from the edge of each tape with adjacent fastener elements interconnected by heel portions overlying said tapes and means overlying the filamentary material at a point located intermediate said elements and said heel portion for securing said filamentary material to said tapes, comprising the steps of:

positioning a group of said interengaged fastener elements relative to a reciprocally movable punch member which is located centrally within a reciprocally movable presser member, with the heel portions of said interengaged fastener elements overlying a plurality of cutting edges located on a stationary member;

simultaneously moving said presser member and said punch member toward said stationary member, for first severing said interengaged fastener elements by said punch member at the opposite end of the space to be gapped after which said presser member forces said heel portions of those interengaged fastener elements of the space to be gapped onto said cutting edges of said stationary member for severing said means overlying said filamentary material and securing said filamentary material to said tapes; and

moving said punch member relative to said stationary member whereby said punch member engages said group of interengaged elements intermediate said opposite ends of said clean gap and acts thereon to displace said interengaged elements in the space to be gapped as well as the now out means securing said filamentary material to said tape away from said tape to clean gap said fastener chain.

7. The method of manufacturing a fastener element free gap in a filament fastener chain according to claim 6, wherein said step of moving said punch member and said presser member, which has several cutting blades located adjacent the opposite ends of the space to be gapped, includes the step of first moving said presser member to engage said several cutting blades with said means securingsaid filamentary material to said tape at opposite ends of the space to be gapped to sever the same, after which said presser member engages and retains said fastener chain in a stationary position prior to said punch member first severing said interengaged fastener elements at the opposite end of the space to be gapped.

8. The method of manufacturing a fastener element free gap in a filament fastener chain according to claim 6, wherein there is included the step of collecting said group of interengaged elements removed from said element free gap.

9. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap in continuous slide fastener chain having a pair of tapes carrying along each of their respective laterally adjacent longitudinal edges a continuous filament formed to include a plurality of fastener elements with adjacent elements thereof interconnected by heel portions, each of said ifilaments attached to its tape by stitching passing about each of said heel portions with said stitching exposed on at least one side of said heel portions, said slide fastener chain having said fastener elements of each filament interengaged; the apparatus comprising:

a movable first means for initially severing at least one of said fastener elements of each filament at the opposite ends of the length of the free gap to be produced to separate those fastener elements intermediate thereof which are to be gapped from said continuous filament, and for then engaging and displac ing said interengaged elements extending the length of said space to be gapped; and,

second means for severing at least every other stitch passing about each of said heel portions and exposed on said one side of said heel portions as said stitches pass about said heel portions after said first means severs said fastener elements of each filament at the opposite ends of the length of the free gap to be produced, and before said first means, on its continued movement in cooperation with an opening in said second means, engages and displaces said interengaged elements extending the length of said space to be gapped,

whereby a given length of filament fastener chain is clean gapped.

10. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 9 which includes a third means for positioning said filament chain relative to said first means, whereby said fastener elements at each end of said space to be gapped are severed in a uniform manner upon each operative cycle of the apparatus.

11. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 9 wherein said second means includes a plurality of cutting edges extending substantially transverse to said longitudinal edges of said tapes and for the length of the space to be gapped.

12. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 11, wherein said second means includes a presser member for forcing said stitches passing about said heel portions of said filamentary material onto said plurality of cutting edges to sever said stitches.

13. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 12, wherein said first means is movable centrally within said second means and into an opening in said second means such that said first and second means act substantially in a said given sequence on said fastener chain to clean gap the same.

14. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 13 wherein said first means includes a downwardly depending punch member located at each of the opposite ends of said first means for initially serving said filament at the opposite ends of the length of the free gap.

15. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 14, wherein that portion of said first means located intermediate said downwardly depending punch members, is a dull punch member for displacing said length of inter-engaged fastener elements to be removed from said free gap space once said filament is initially severed from said stitches at the opposite ends of the length of the free gap.

16. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 13, wherein said presser member initially maintains said fastener chain in a given stationary position relative to said first means until said elements at the opposite ends of the space to be free gapped are removed.

17. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 16 wherein said second means includes a stationary member which indexes said fastener chain in a uniform manner to position said interengaged fastener elements relative to said first means.

18. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 16, wherein said presser member carries a pair of cutting blades for serving said stitching holding those of said heel portions at the ends of the space to be gapped prior to severing all of said stitching.

19. Apparatus for producing a fastener free gap according to claim 17, wherein said stationary member of said second means carries said plurality of cutting members intermediate the end of said free space to be gapped.

20. Apparatus for producing a fastener element free gap according to claim 19, wherein said second means includes an elongated recess centrally located therein into which said first means is adapted to move for clean gapping said fastener chain.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,391,441 7/1968 Carlile 29-408 3,456,328 7/1969 Wasko 29207.5 X

THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 29207.5 

